freddy333 Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 I want to upgrade earbuds (in-ear speakers/headphones/whatever) from my current $40 Skullcandy set for use while driving my motorcycle (that is, they have to fit under a helmet) & general iPod'ing. Unfortunately, you cannot demo (most mid- & lower-priced in-ear) headsets in stores, so I have been buying & returning set after set trying to find something that has good audiophile sound & sound-isolation. However, I found 1 store that allows customers to demo high-end 'buds, so I was able to hear the Miles Davis Tributes, which sounded good. Initially, I wanted to keep the cost to below $100, but the best I found in that range (Klipsch Image S4i's) are excellent in the sound isolation area, but noticeably lacking in the audiophile department (highs are limited, lows sound like salamis hitting sofas & the mids sound like there is a sheet of gauze over everything). Of course, I would prefer to spend as little as possible, but I am plagued with a fairly good ear (& good home system), so I am willing to spend upwards of $400, which is the average street price for the Miles Davis Tributes. I have also spent a bit of time reading previous RWG threads on this very subjective subject, so I am just wondering if anyone here has these & if they are still satisfied with them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stolikat Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 http://www.shure.com/americas/products/earphones-headphones/se-models/se535-sound-isolating-earphones Simply the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prdubis Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 http://www.shure.com/americas/products/earphones-headphones/se-models/se535-sound-isolating-earphones +1, I've got them too But I would really like to test the Miles Davis ones... Simply the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted May 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 I was hoping to hear from some who have/had the Miles Davis Tributes (MDTs), but I appreciate your input anyway. After finding a couple of stores that allowed me to demo a number of high-end 'phones (I had to provide my own 'tips'), I was able to narrow the field down to 3 final contestants -- the MDTs, SE535s & Sennheiser IE 8s -- any of which I would be happy with as they all sound great. But, in the end, a Lifetime replacement warranty (which is important as I tend to keep 'phones for a long time -- I still have my Koss Pro 4AA 'vice grips' from the 1970s ) & slightly warmer/more transparent sound tipped the hat in favor of these, which I should have on Monday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 Beware the "REPS" / Fakes. What I found, when I did a cross country trip on my BMW GS,-- use the FOAM TIPS for maximum noise isolation. (I used Shures back then) Also, not sure how much you 'vote' with your wallet, but google "monster cable lawsuits bullies". In short, they sue anyone with "Monster" in their name. From Auto Repair shops, to websites. However, there is no question the MDTs and even the Monster Dr. Dre Beats are excellent products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchurch Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 I also agree with the Shure suggestion. I love mine. Don't know about those Monster ones I saw them in person but didn't try them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gran Posted May 13, 2011 Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted May 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2011 Beware the "REPS" / Fakes. Thanks, I know these things are being repped & I saw this guy's video last week. Oddly, while he covered alot of info, he missed the single-most important indicator - if you remove the tip, the speaker is flush with the end on the gens & sits a mm or so back from the end (indented) on the fakes. So, for anyone interested in the MDTs, this is the thing to check for (with the exception of the bird (continually trying to get in on the action), you can pretty much ignore the rest of his video). What I found, when I did a cross country trip on my BMW GS,-- use the FOAM TIPS for maximum noise isolation. (I used Shures back then) Good tip. I will check those out for riding. Once I receive them, I will do a shoot-out against my reference 'phones, the Koss KSC35 (these things are amazing, despite their meager price) Also, not sure how much you 'vote' with your wallet, but google "monster cable lawsuits bullies". In short, they sue anyone with "Monster" in their name. From Auto Repair shops, to websites. While I do not like that kind of business practice, most successful companies (Rolex) tend to be over-litigious when it comes to protecting their brand/trademarks, but I would never buy anything if I based my purchases on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Just a quick update for anyone who may be interesting - I received the MDTs 2 days ago & have been spending as much time as I have available listening to them (& comparing them with my reference Koss's). I think I made the correct choice because they sound wonderful on just about every type of music & have that rare ability to induce vanishing little sound of their own into the mix. I say this because great recordings sound great, bad recordings sound bad, bass heavy recordings sound bass heavy, shallow recordings sound shallow.............. I think you get the idea. The point is that the MDTs allow whatever the mics picked up in the recording venue to be presented to you in its original form, which can be a blessing (in the case of good recordings) or a curse (in the case of bad). They reveal very low level details in recordings that you never heard before & this is not due to their having a tarted-up response pattern (although Monster does say their midrange is ever-so-slightly nudged upward to complement classic jazz recordings). But I listen to a wide range of music & the MDTs handle them all with equal aplomb. I hate to sound like any number of audio magazine reviewers, but, if you are looking for a premium set of in-ear headphones (I hate to call something this advanced/good 'earbuds') & can afford their pricetags, you should definitely include these in your short-list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Thanks for getting back to us on this. Curious, did they include various covers/tips? (i.e. Foam, Rubber, different sizes). Will they stay in, while pulling your helmet over your ears? (this was the fun part for me, again the Foam tips seem to help) Since you are going portable, do you rip your music as loss-less? (Flak or Apple?) Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted May 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Curious, did they include various covers/tips? (i.e. Foam, Rubber, different sizes). They include a handful of tips, but only 1 set of Monster SuperTips & no foam tips. However, I ordered a sampler set of Monster's SuperTips, which includes both silicon (for best sound) & foam (for active use). I also have a set of these aftermarket (in this case, the term aftermarket is a superlative) silicon tips, which had a couple that fit nicely (Click the pic for the link) Will they stay in, while pulling your helmet over your ears? (this was the fun part for me, again the Foam tips seem to help) Unless I accidentally catch the cord on my clothes while driving, I have not had problems with my previous Skullcandy Titan buds & these aftermarket silicon tips fit my ears better than the Skullcandy tips do, so I doubt that will be a problem. Since you are going portable, do you rip your music as loss-less? (Flak or Apple?) All mp3s with most @ 320khz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nauticaboy25 Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 I have the Beats by Dre Studios and they sound amazing....they are also made by monster...my girlfriend had the lady gagas heartbeats by monster and they sounded amazing....the pic of those Miles Davis's are really sweet...wonder if they have control talk...if so they would be perfect....style wise and sound quality... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Good stuff. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanshogun Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 hmm i hear better stuff can be had at the same price as these monster products Having said that, I am using klipsch x1's (£20 on amazon) mostly now (portability purposes) and they sound great to me. The bass was a little sloppy, but now after maybe 100 hours of use it's tight and they sound wonderful. The soundstage is better than my shure e4c! More comfortable than my beyers- and the isolation is amazing. Plus, when inserted they sit flush with my ear, so I can lie on my side in bed with them and not notice them. at xmas there was a semi-hidden page on the monster website that was selling overstock at cost- iirc the most expensive headphone was around $40- some guy on a music tracker I am a member of bought like 10 pairs and flipped them for a very tidy profit. I suppose all that really matters is if you were willing to pay and are happy, and you were and are on both counts, so Mazel tov on the new phones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Just for future information, I have always been a fan of headphone.com for useful, real-world information regarding headphones and headphone amps. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD-600's and an older Headroom Little Headphone Amplifier that I just love. Spent weeks of researching and landed on the HD-600's after a producer friend of mine let me borrow his for a day. Anyways, I quite enjoy their reviews and find them to be very informative and helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkay Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 One week on LA Street Customs (tv show) the owner of Monster was in the shop having an automatic Segway dispenser built into the trunk of his Bentley, so his Segway would unpack from his automobile robotically. For people who understand that high quality HDMI cables should cost less than $1 per foot, there's monoprice.com I hope you enjoy your earbuds, they certainly sound like they are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanshogun Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 For people who understand that high quality HDMI cables should cost less than $1 per foot, there's monoprice.com hehe i never understood the obsession with premium cables for a digital signal. As long as the 1s and 0s get through the signal is as good as it will ever be. of course, you know this analogue speaker cables and bi-wiring though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkay Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Again, I'm not poo-poo'ing the OP or belittling the earbuds mentioned here. I believe the OP and am sure they are great. It's the fact that Monster Cable has been fleecing rubes for years now, and that makes me mad. Not just a little fleecing either .. serial-killer level of fleecing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 ...and my tasty little Klipsch x10s just keep humming along. Soooooooooo nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted May 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Like most companies that market successful high-end products, there is alot of profit (& I say that having worked in the high-end audio industry for several years during the 80s). Whether that is good or bad is a subject for another thread. All I know is that I spent a great deal of time auditioning a number of good headphones (any or all of which I would have been happy with) & settled on the pair that provided me with me with the best overall sound for my needs. I should also note that I use electrostats for home listening & play them at moderate levels. Out of the finalists I compared, the MDTs come closest to the sound I hear from my home system. If your reference is a booming car stereo, the MDTs are probably not going to be to your liking. But, like reps, there are no perfect sound transducers & we all have our individual preferences. So, you choose your poison & try not to let the hardware get in the way of the music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 What he said. I cut my musical teeth in the late 70s and early 80s when JBL 4310s and Magnaplanars, Klipsch horns and Dahlquist and Speakerlab ruled the day. I fell in love with the effortless sound of big Klipsch but ruined my hearing with what I could afford, BIG amps and JBLs. The Klipsch x10s are the closest thing I could find to that big open sound of big Klipsch speakers in a big room. But it took maybe 100 hours to get them to come alive. Enjoy those beauties Freddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted May 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 I forgot to include the x10s, which I demo'd (& liked) as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 I cut my musical teeth in the late 70s and early 80s when JBL 4310s and Magnaplanars, Klipsch horns and Dahlquist and Speakerlab ruled the day. You guys are making me jealous-- I miss my old 'tube amp' and Technics 1200 turntable.. Kicking myself for selling all my vinyl too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdspiv Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Just curious as I am in the market for a new set of in ears. Have you tried them on a headphone amp of any type? Or are you using an ipod? I LOVE the ipod combined with the wadia dock as a source for for my two channel system. But Im still am supremely happy with my old Cowon D2 for headphone duty. The D2 is a bit more poweful than an iPod so this prompted my question. And for you "older" guys: A large portion of my main system is vintage and consists of McIntosh MC275 amp with a McIntosh MX110-Z preamplifier singing through a set of AR 2ax speakers. All have been fully refurbished and updated through and through. Modern source with vintage amplification is HARD to beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Niiiiiiiiiiice! "Modern source and vintage amplification." I'm cookin' with big JBLs and AR-90s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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